How does coffee affect our productivity?
Coffee is a favorite habit, which, in addition to hours of fun and relaxation, is often consumed in the workplace. How does coffee productivity affect our productivity?
Coffee is probably the most common beverage in every workplace, both in professions requiring mental work and in manual occupations. All coffee lovers know that our favorite drink helps us being alert and well-being, but we do not know all the mechanisms that are responsible for these feelings. We have concentrated five coffee influences on our productivity by trying to trace the positive (but also the negative) impact of coffee in our everyday work!
How does coffee affect our productivity?
Coffee improves mental clarity and alertness
Scientists have discovered that caffeine blocks receptors of adenosine, a chemical that gives the signal of fatigue to the human brain - thus explaining the alertness and clarity we feel after drinking coffee. However, it is important to know that caffeine does not affect all people in the same way, since its effect depends on the dose, body weight, age, but also the tolerance created by long-term exposure to the substance. Naturally, the more coffee we drink, the less will be the results we will feel, but in general, coffee offers vigilance and well-being.
Consuming coffee the wrong way may affect our sleep
In normal doses, and provided it is not consumed in the evening, coffee does not particularly affect our sleep. However, if we consume too many coffees or if we get used to enjoying them late in the evening, there is the possibility of insomnia, which will result in a feeling of fatigue and consequently reduced productivity. Things are even worse for people with a sensitive nervous system or a history of insomnia. Unless we belong to one of these two categories of people, and if we have a normal coffee consumption program, we can enjoy our coffee and our sleep without any problems.
Coffee consumption affects initiative and decision making
The ability to make the right decisions and initiatives, according to experts, is better in the morning and goes down as the day passes and levels of fatigue are rising. It has been noticed that coffee consumption revitalizes the body spiritually and physically, improving decision-making. This is why coffee is served at several corporate meetings, while other companies have established mandatory coffee breaks before major meetings.
Excessive coffee consumption can increase blood pressure, but also levels of adrenaline in the body.
It is scientifically proven that caffeine affects blood pressure, but also increases adrenaline levels. In the majority of people, these changes are small and not even perceptible; however, in people with a history of cardiovascular disease, coffee may increase the pressure too much, always requiring the physician's contribution to the maximum caffeine allowance per day. In the often stressfull environment of a workplace, excessive coffee consumption can increase the stress we feel, and instead of stimulating feelings, experience feelings of intense anxiety. Although it is unlikely that someone will experience such feelings only by coffee, if we are strongly stressed, it is good to temporarily temper our coffee until at least we can deal with our anxiety.
Coffee improves cognitive functions and short-term memory
Often, our work requires fast memorization of numbers, words and images, but also complex calculations and combinational thought. Workplace studies have shown that a single cup of coffee can greatly improve cognitive functions, especially short-term memory. These properties of caffeine also make it particularly popular amongst workers in demanding positions that require the handling of a lot of information, such as journalists, and among people who have to memorize a large amount of information, such as students.
Coffee is without doubt a great, everyday enjoyment - but also a way to be more efficient, productive and creative! If, indeed, we enjoy our coffee in moderation and we take care of our health, we have found in coffee the most precious - and most enjoyable - ally in our daily eight hour shift!
